Oral Medicine

Oral medicine is the field of dentistry encompassing diagnosis and treatment of diseases in the oral cavity and surrounding structures with special emphasis on oral manifestations of systemic diseases and behaviour related medical conditions.

Some essential organizations within oral medicine

- Svensk Förening för Orofacial Medicin (SOM) (Swedish Association for Orofacial Medicine)
The association of interest SOMS was established in Sweden in 1990 and after reorganization 2011 it was succeeded by Svensk Förening för Orofacial Medicin (SOM) (Swedish Association for Orofacial Medicine). The association has about 250 members including members from other Nordic countries. Every year are arranged courses and member meetings. Besides, every month are arranged internet sessions on the website SOMWeb (see below). From 2008 similar activities are arranged in the Nordic-Baltic region. An important activity is certifying members who have been educated and practicing according to a special programme. SOM publishes a periodical, Orofacial medicine.

- Swedish Oral Medicine Network (SOMWeb)
This website is steadily developing and is frequently visited by members of SOM. It will in the future contain a series of functions for knowledge development and including literature references and multi-centre studies.

- European Association for Oral Medicine (EAOM)
EAOM was established in Madrid in 1991 and reorganized in 1998. EAOM has 24 country members. Every second year a congress is arranged (in Athens 2012) with lectures, reports and posters. The organization is divided into 5 geographic regions. The Nordic countries/Scandinavia belong to region 2. Also regional meetings are arranged e.g. the Nordic-Baltic meeting in Malmö in 2007.

- British Society for Oral medicine (BSOM)
The British Society for Oral Medicine aims to promote the communication, practice and development to the highest standards of all aspects of Oral Medicine within Great Britain and Ireland. The BSOM Annual Meeting is held over two days in April or May. In recent years the format has included educational sessions as part of Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and both oral and poster scientific communications.

- American Academy of Oral Medicine (AAOM)
The oldest association of oral medicine interest in the world and established in 1945. Has functions and activities similar to those of SOM but with a somewhat different profile with emphasis on e.g. pain and saliva.

- The International Academy of Oral medicine (IAOM)
IAOM was established 2005 and draws together for the first time formally, clinicians and scientists worldwide, working on issues relating to the aetiopathogenesis, epidemiology, prevention and management of oral diseases and of oral health in patients with systemic disease. IAOM consists of a wide range of clinicians and scientists worldwide, leaders in their fields, who have united to establish the Academy.